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matt_zimmerAlso reviews for the latest episodes of DC's Legends Of Tomorrow, and Batwoman, and the series finale of Bless The Harts.
Teen Titans Go! See Space Jam
So it turns out this is probably gonna be more of a review for Space Jam than it is for the wraparound segments. Which is fine because the Titans interrupt far less than I figured they would.
My first impression after seeing Space Jam again, a movie I always liked, after all these years: It's actually terrible. It hits me entirely wrong this time out. Of course Bill Murray is still great (not only is Bill Murray's superpower being Bill Murray, but Cyborg forgot to mention that's the greatest superpower that ever existed) but everything else is awful.
Chuck Jones once opined that Bugs asking for help to spend an entire movie winning a basketball game is out of character, and he should have defeated the Monstars alone in a seven minute cartoon. He was right. I didn't really think too hard about that opinion before because Chuck Jones was old-school, and of course he's gonna hate the trendy stuff. But it's the desperation in Bugs' voice as he literally begs for Michael Jordan's help that doesn't sit right with me at all.
Secondly, Lola Bunny is SO freaking awful. I can't believe it. Kristen Wiig's performance on The Looney Tunes Show turned Lola into my favorite Looney Tunes character (Ask me how upset I am she is entirely absent from Looney Tunes Cartoons so far: The answer is very) and her first appearance ever revolts me. I get that a lot of people hate Lola for being a boring female Bugs, but I don't think they quite hate the character here for the right reasons. I don't mind that Lola was added to give a little gender diversity to an all-male cartoon cast. What I object to is she's overtly sexualized and treated like a piece of meat. She gets very offended if people call her "Doll" and treat her in an antifeminist manner. Maybe she should be kicking the asses of the producers of the film while she's at it. I find her supposed feminism really tone-deaf while the producers are treating her as a cartoon sex object, which is like the weirdest thing ever. Yes, I get Jessica Rabbit's entire bit is being sexy and provocative. Why the producers decided to put Lola in the exact same kinds of tawdry "glamour" shots as Jessica is beyond my understanding.
I'll tell you what. I'll do a more thorough debunking of this movie if and when I get around to watching the old DVD I own (I keep putting it off). For now, I'll briefly talk about the wrap-arounds.
I thought it was very economical the parts of the movie this movie skipped due to the short runtime. I also appreciate that unlike Mystery Science Theater 3000, if the Titans are going to do an extended interruption, they pause the film. Unlike real-life commentaries you can actually watch and follow Space Jam with no problems. Nobody is talking over the movie.
Cyborg's Fun Facts were both the best part of the movie and entirely in character for Cyborg. I love the version from Teen Titans Go! far more than I ever did the one from Teen Titans. That goes for Beast Boy too.
I'm disappointed the very beginning of "I Believe I Can Fly" is cut out. That was a great song, and if I recall correctly it sort of gave the movie a little bit of much-needed pathos. I do not like Space Jam anymore. But I am 100% positive I still would have liked it better if that bit was included. Hopefully, whenever this comes out on Blu-Ray and Digital that the end credits for Space Jam that CN shrunk to the side of the screen here will have that song. It's a really great song, and unusually wistful for such a silly movie, and Michael Jordan dealing with his father's unexpected death. One of the interesting things about Space Jam, is that it sort of connects the cartoon stuff in the movie with decisions he made in his personal and professional life. I get this version is truncated, but it's missing the one human element I thought was great.
Charles Barkley is also gone, which is a shame. If I recall he said a mild curse word which might be why.
I like Cyborg and Beast Boy pointing out that both smoking and guns are outmoded forms of children's entertainment. I would have liked to them to slam Pepe Le Pew for the same reason, but in fairness, that specific thing is a MUCH bigger hot-button issue dealing with sexual violence.
I love the Mean Titans Go! Theme at the end. That was fun. I love whenever the show does stuff like that.
As far as MST3K-style commentaries go, that was fun. As far as a movie goes, Space Jam actually doesn't hold up in hindsight. ***1/2.
DC's Legends Of Tomorrow "Back To The Finale Part II"
Glad to see the end of Bishop. I think he was envisioned to be a bit of a fan-favorite character but I couldn't personally stand him. When I heard the computer version of him yell "NOOOOO!" I was very glad because that means he lost.
I love how understanding and supportive Rory is over Sarah being a clone. And you realize she's replaced Snart as his oldest friend.
I kind of don't like where things were left off with Kayla, and I was as frustrated as Rory, but something tells me she'll be back. And she probably won't be happy.
I like Zari figuring out that John is being all stupid because he's putting in the extra effort on the mission to help without magic. For the precise reason that if he's successful he'll get it back.
Sarah's first scene with Spooner was interesting.
There is a plothole: Sarah senses the gang is trying to change history as she escapes. In reality we see that this is how it was always supposed to go down. So how is it Sarah sensed Behrad on the planet when she always should have seen him in her mind? Not perfectly constructed, but that's true of a LOT of time travel stuff.
Who was the actor who played Constantine Rory? I feel like I should have recognized him.
Solid episode. I'm glad Sarah is back. ****.
Batwoman "Kane, Kate"
Didn't like that. Shocker. Tail end of a promising Berlanti show fizzles out in the second season. Now you see why I'm so worried for Superman & Lois.
I never cared much for Kate Kane one way or the other, but now I'll never trust her again. What were the producers thinking? Why bring her back at all just to destroy her character this way?
There was one scene I liked, and it's because of this scene the episode gets 2 and a half stars I wouldn't have given it if this scene didn't exist. I loved the scene of Ryan telling her parole officer she was Batwoman, and saving her life when the cops came into kill them. Her then telling "Batwoman" that she believed in her was a rewarding scene in an episode devoid of them.
Come to think of it, I also liked how casual Ryan was to the notion that Black Mask uncovered her secret. She must be secretly flipped out but is playing it pretty cool.
The Crows all joining Black Mask with no problems, and Ryan still getting arrested for made-up crap makes me feel like we haven't actually gotten anywhere this season.
Mostly I was angry by the end of that. **1/2.
Bless The Harts "Betty's Birthday"
I liked it. A lot. They managed to make the montage at the end feel like a series finale, which probably wouldn't have been easy since this episode wasn't actually conceived as one.
53 is an incredibly young age for a grandmother but I like the reason Betty fears telling them: It's the age her mom died. This show always finds a way to hit me unexpectedly.
Violet enjoying Bad Cop's utter incompetence will never get old
To be truthful this show is awful as much as it is good. But it's a pleasant coincidence that the last episode happened to be good. Great in fact. *****.
Teen Titans Go! See Space Jam
So it turns out this is probably gonna be more of a review for Space Jam than it is for the wraparound segments. Which is fine because the Titans interrupt far less than I figured they would.
My first impression after seeing Space Jam again, a movie I always liked, after all these years: It's actually terrible. It hits me entirely wrong this time out. Of course Bill Murray is still great (not only is Bill Murray's superpower being Bill Murray, but Cyborg forgot to mention that's the greatest superpower that ever existed) but everything else is awful.
Chuck Jones once opined that Bugs asking for help to spend an entire movie winning a basketball game is out of character, and he should have defeated the Monstars alone in a seven minute cartoon. He was right. I didn't really think too hard about that opinion before because Chuck Jones was old-school, and of course he's gonna hate the trendy stuff. But it's the desperation in Bugs' voice as he literally begs for Michael Jordan's help that doesn't sit right with me at all.
Secondly, Lola Bunny is SO freaking awful. I can't believe it. Kristen Wiig's performance on The Looney Tunes Show turned Lola into my favorite Looney Tunes character (Ask me how upset I am she is entirely absent from Looney Tunes Cartoons so far: The answer is very) and her first appearance ever revolts me. I get that a lot of people hate Lola for being a boring female Bugs, but I don't think they quite hate the character here for the right reasons. I don't mind that Lola was added to give a little gender diversity to an all-male cartoon cast. What I object to is she's overtly sexualized and treated like a piece of meat. She gets very offended if people call her "Doll" and treat her in an antifeminist manner. Maybe she should be kicking the asses of the producers of the film while she's at it. I find her supposed feminism really tone-deaf while the producers are treating her as a cartoon sex object, which is like the weirdest thing ever. Yes, I get Jessica Rabbit's entire bit is being sexy and provocative. Why the producers decided to put Lola in the exact same kinds of tawdry "glamour" shots as Jessica is beyond my understanding.
I'll tell you what. I'll do a more thorough debunking of this movie if and when I get around to watching the old DVD I own (I keep putting it off). For now, I'll briefly talk about the wrap-arounds.
I thought it was very economical the parts of the movie this movie skipped due to the short runtime. I also appreciate that unlike Mystery Science Theater 3000, if the Titans are going to do an extended interruption, they pause the film. Unlike real-life commentaries you can actually watch and follow Space Jam with no problems. Nobody is talking over the movie.
Cyborg's Fun Facts were both the best part of the movie and entirely in character for Cyborg. I love the version from Teen Titans Go! far more than I ever did the one from Teen Titans. That goes for Beast Boy too.
I'm disappointed the very beginning of "I Believe I Can Fly" is cut out. That was a great song, and if I recall correctly it sort of gave the movie a little bit of much-needed pathos. I do not like Space Jam anymore. But I am 100% positive I still would have liked it better if that bit was included. Hopefully, whenever this comes out on Blu-Ray and Digital that the end credits for Space Jam that CN shrunk to the side of the screen here will have that song. It's a really great song, and unusually wistful for such a silly movie, and Michael Jordan dealing with his father's unexpected death. One of the interesting things about Space Jam, is that it sort of connects the cartoon stuff in the movie with decisions he made in his personal and professional life. I get this version is truncated, but it's missing the one human element I thought was great.
Charles Barkley is also gone, which is a shame. If I recall he said a mild curse word which might be why.
I like Cyborg and Beast Boy pointing out that both smoking and guns are outmoded forms of children's entertainment. I would have liked to them to slam Pepe Le Pew for the same reason, but in fairness, that specific thing is a MUCH bigger hot-button issue dealing with sexual violence.
I love the Mean Titans Go! Theme at the end. That was fun. I love whenever the show does stuff like that.
As far as MST3K-style commentaries go, that was fun. As far as a movie goes, Space Jam actually doesn't hold up in hindsight. ***1/2.
DC's Legends Of Tomorrow "Back To The Finale Part II"
Glad to see the end of Bishop. I think he was envisioned to be a bit of a fan-favorite character but I couldn't personally stand him. When I heard the computer version of him yell "NOOOOO!" I was very glad because that means he lost.
I love how understanding and supportive Rory is over Sarah being a clone. And you realize she's replaced Snart as his oldest friend.
I kind of don't like where things were left off with Kayla, and I was as frustrated as Rory, but something tells me she'll be back. And she probably won't be happy.
I like Zari figuring out that John is being all stupid because he's putting in the extra effort on the mission to help without magic. For the precise reason that if he's successful he'll get it back.
Sarah's first scene with Spooner was interesting.
There is a plothole: Sarah senses the gang is trying to change history as she escapes. In reality we see that this is how it was always supposed to go down. So how is it Sarah sensed Behrad on the planet when she always should have seen him in her mind? Not perfectly constructed, but that's true of a LOT of time travel stuff.
Who was the actor who played Constantine Rory? I feel like I should have recognized him.
Solid episode. I'm glad Sarah is back. ****.
Batwoman "Kane, Kate"
Didn't like that. Shocker. Tail end of a promising Berlanti show fizzles out in the second season. Now you see why I'm so worried for Superman & Lois.
I never cared much for Kate Kane one way or the other, but now I'll never trust her again. What were the producers thinking? Why bring her back at all just to destroy her character this way?
There was one scene I liked, and it's because of this scene the episode gets 2 and a half stars I wouldn't have given it if this scene didn't exist. I loved the scene of Ryan telling her parole officer she was Batwoman, and saving her life when the cops came into kill them. Her then telling "Batwoman" that she believed in her was a rewarding scene in an episode devoid of them.
Come to think of it, I also liked how casual Ryan was to the notion that Black Mask uncovered her secret. She must be secretly flipped out but is playing it pretty cool.
The Crows all joining Black Mask with no problems, and Ryan still getting arrested for made-up crap makes me feel like we haven't actually gotten anywhere this season.
Mostly I was angry by the end of that. **1/2.
Bless The Harts "Betty's Birthday"
I liked it. A lot. They managed to make the montage at the end feel like a series finale, which probably wouldn't have been easy since this episode wasn't actually conceived as one.
53 is an incredibly young age for a grandmother but I like the reason Betty fears telling them: It's the age her mom died. This show always finds a way to hit me unexpectedly.
Violet enjoying Bad Cop's utter incompetence will never get old
To be truthful this show is awful as much as it is good. But it's a pleasant coincidence that the last episode happened to be good. Great in fact. *****.
